Flood of ‘English Champagne’ very unlikely

A post-Brexit flood of ‘English Champagne’ into the EU is “unlikely in the extreme”, Andrew Hawes, chairman of the UK Champagne Agents’ Association, has stated.

The term Champagne has been protected in the UK under English law since 1960

In a note sent to the drinks business today, Hawes, who heads up the CAA and Mentzendorff – which is the UK importer for Bollinger – rubbished reports that appeared in the press last week suggesting that the protected status of Champagne would come to an end with Brexit.

Pointing out that the term Champagne is protected in the UK under English law – not EU law – he reminded db that the regional brand became safeguarded in the UK as long ago as 1960, which was 13 years before the country joined the European Community.

Commenting specifically on the possibility of an influx of ‘English Champagne’ into the EU, he said, “This is unlikely in the extreme”.

Continuing, he said that ‘English Champagne’ could “only happen if there were to be a repeal of existing English law, which is the basis of the protection of the name Champagne in this country, and nothing to do with EU law as it relates to the ‘Costa Brava Spanish Champagne’ case concluded in 1960 – 13 years before the UK even joined the European Economic Community in 1973!”

More commonly known as just the ‘Spanish Champagne’ case, ‘English Champagne’ would be a legal impossibility due to a landmark legal case brought by the Champagne Agents’ Association (CAA) in 1957 versus the Costa Brava Wine Company.

The case finally concluded in December 1960 in favour of the CAA due to the ‘extended passing off’ by The Costa Brava Wine Company in attempting to sell a product labelled ‘Spanish Champagne’.

This set the precedent which means the name Champagne is legally protected in the UK.

Read more:

50TH ANNIVERSARY OF CHAMPAGNE CASE